DDT Engineering
DDT Engineering manufactured articulated dump trucks similar to the Norwegian Moxy and the British DJB machines built for Caterpillar in the UK. Company history DDT Engineering was founded in October 1994 by Gordon Brown ex. Brown Anglo Scan Equipment, from Wharfdale House, Riffa, Pool In Wharfdale, North Yorkshire, the original importer of the Norwegian Moxy A.D.T. brand into the U.K. from 1978 - 1990, selling more A.D.T. machines globally in 1990 than any other brand (997 units in total). When Komatsu got involved with Moxy in 1990, Gordon started looking to new A.D.T. horizons, afterall he was (like the Heiniken add at the time''...)"the best dump truck salesman in the world...Probably...".'' During the 1950's Gordon had seen County Tractors experiment with ejector style dump trailers (but to no beneficial outcome), but he liked the principle & so he decided to draw on his Moxy knowledge & develop a bespoke 6x6 30tonne capacity ejector style A.D.T. Having worked with M.T. Agricultural Engineering who were based at Springwood Industrial Estate, Rayne Road, Braintree, Essex. During the Moxy haydays of the late 1980's, when M.T. Agricultural produced the Moxy 3212B 4x4 A.D.T. using s Ford 7710 2w.d. tractor Skid unit as a donor vehicle, Gordon called on them again to push this new project forward. The selected team consisted of: * Mr. Alan Keeting, Chief Engineer, from Peterlee, County Durham (strangely enough opposite the D.J.B. works). * Mr. Norman Mascall, Factor Owner & Director at M.T. Agricultural. ex. Howard, South Benfleet. * Mr. Paul Drew, Design Office Manager at M.T. Agricultural. * Mr. Paul Beal, Procurement Manager at M.T. Agricultural. ex. Volvo, Duxford. * Mr. Trevor Page, Workshop Manager at M.T. Agricultural. * Mr. Howard Dawson, Financial Controller DDT. ex. D.J.B. * Mr. Richard Hunter, U.K. Sales DDT. ex. Volvo, Duxford. * Mr. Roger Jay, European Sales DDT. ex. Brown Anglo Scan Equipment Moxy. Over a 13 week period, the entire DDT D630B vehicle was developed from initial concept to a full set of working drawings (Beginning of Nov '94 - End of Jan '05) In early January 1995 the basic chassis was laid down, to keep the project on schedule in time for Bauma 1995 at the End of March, whilst the complex detail drawings were finished. The pace of build increased rapidly in February 1995 & became an "all hands to the pumps" scenario in March 1995, with people working 20hours a day allowing the Bauma deadline to be met...just... The biggest success resulting from Bauma 1995 was the opening of dealership negotiations for North America with Thoesen Tractor & Equipment Inc. of 3142 Lincoln Highway, Linwood Illinois. Over the next 3 years or so Thoesen Tractor took delivery of approximately 30 units of the DDT D630B ejector truck, they also took tipper variants as the DDT product range increased, taking some 60 trucks altogether. ;The end of the road for DDT. Gordon Brown was well known to Fiat Allis, Italy as he had been the U.K. importer of their excavator & dozer equipment throughout the 1980's concurrently with the Moxy A.D.T. product, as a result of this, Gordon was able to negotiate a deal, whereby in 2000 he sold the assets & intellectual property to Astra Spa, Piachenza, Italy, part of Iveco, but still staffed by many Fiat Allis employees. After the takeover, the DDT trucks were branded Case for U.K. sales, O & K for mainland Europe, New Holland & L.B.X. in North America & Fiat Hitachi in other geographical areas. Today in 2009, the brand rationalisation has seen the trucks marketed just in Case & Astra liveries. Neither of these brands has continued with the ejector truck option in its' design programme. Other Manufacturers Soon after the sale of DDT to Astra it was noted that Caterpillar had begun to produce a 30tonne ejector truck that used very similar componentry. Bell of South Africa now also produce an ejector version of their 40tonne A.D.T. , but this is quite different to the DDT as it relies on large chain & sprockets to move the ejector plate down the body. This model of Bell A.D.T. is popular in the gold mines of Southern Australia. Product list * DDT D 630B dump truck. Preservation As these are a relatively modern machine and rather large they are not seen at most preservation events (yet) - But the odd ADT by other manufacturers have appeared at working events held in quarries. Parts supply Aardvark Equipment Ltd. of High Hall, Belchamp Otten, Sudbury, Suffolk. CO10 7BE Tel.: 01787 279196 continue to operate a spare parts supply service to cover these machines. See also ;Other manufacturers * Bell * Caterpillar * Hydrema * Moxy * Komatsu * Terex * Volvo Construction Equipment ;Former manufacturers * Aveling-Barford * Artix * Bray * Camill * Hudson * Northfield * O&K * Shawnee Poole * Thwaites * Whitlock References / sources * Giant Earthmovers - An Illustrated History, by Keith Haddock, p104 External links Category:DDT Engineering Category:ADT Category:Companies of the United Kingdom Category:2000 mergers Category:Companies founded in 1994